Kanda’s bail cancellation: HC reserves judgement

The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its judgement on the plea filed by the city police opposing the bail granted to former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda in the air hostess Geetika Sharma suicide case.

The lower court had on October 14 last year dismissed the bail plea of Kanda and, later, on March 4 this year, granted him bail after noting that co-accused Chadha had been released on bail by the high court.

Kanda and Chadha are facing trial for betting the suicide by the 23-year-old Geetika who was earlier employed as an air hostess in Kanda’s MDLR airlines.

Earlier, the court had asked Kanda and Delhi Police to file their replies to the bail cancellation plea. The plea had alleged that being an “influential” politician, Kanda may tamper with evidence and influence the witnesses in the trial.

The trial court had, while granting bail to Kanda, observed that the former minister had been in judicial custody since August, 2012 in connection with the case.

Chadha was arrested on August 8, 2012, while Kanda had surrendered a few days later on August 18.

Both the accused have also been charged with forgery for cheating and harming the reputation of the victim.

Geetika was found dead on August 5, 2012, at her Ashok Vihar residence in north west Delhi. In her suicide note, she had said she was ending her life due to “harassment” by Kanda and Chadha.

The police had in its charge-sheet said Kanda was obsessed with the victim and was putting pressure on her to come back to his company.